Water is extremely heavy and thus expensive to transport. Thus it is vastly better to make locally, on the moon. Imagine sending water resupply mission every few weeks to a small base. A giant rocket with just water, nothing else. Falcon heavy can take… what, 20 something tons? That’s 20 something cubic meters of water. A single small swimming pool. For $90 million. And that’s the cheap option.
Constant-Lychee9816 on
“We need laws now because we won’t be able to do it before them”
TheProteinSnack on
The article has nothing to do with moon law, or about mining for water on the moon. The article is about Chinese scientists looking at ways of synthesizing water with hydrogen and oxygen on the moon.
Also, if it were NASA doing it, I don’t think we’d hear alarmist concerns for a need for international law on the matter.
thiosk on
The space marines are gonna make the law on the moon
Drewid36 on
China wouldn’t listen to any laws if they exist, see south china sea, currency manipulation in wto, etc.
AllKnighter5 on
Serious question. If we go to the moon, use all the surface material (moon rocks) and science them to make water, does the moon change in weight? Would it impact the tides? Or if they made it water, drank it, peed it on the moon, it would all be the exact same?
ihavenoidea12345678 on
I bet the moon will eventually be managed like the old west with people “staking a claim”, and claims only valid if the land is homesteaded or something similar.
Personnel override automated claims. That way no one can just land a 10km net and claim a whole mountain. You have to land people there to have your claim formally recognized by…. The UN?
I don’t really know, but I agree we need some kind of framework.
Nearby_Interaction69 on
I don’t hear people saying the same for the mars exploration and colonization plan.
evil_illustrator on
They’re not going to care about the law. Once they setup shop on the moon, if they’re the only ones there, they’ll try to claim it as theirs. And use some bullshit reasoning about it was always theirs.
Luxferrae on
This is China we’re taking about. Even if there are laws you think they’re going to abide by them? Look at what’s happening to the shoals in the south China Sea. The Chinese are effectively mobsters and crooks themselves
Besides, who’s going to enforce the law on the moon if there are laws? Martians?
JCPLee on
I am afraid that the age of international cooperation is over, especially for situations where one country can gain an advantage. It’s even difficult for challenges that will be detrimental for everyone, such as global warming, completely impossible for potential moon mining where one country will have a head start.
This is a good opportunity for NASA to ask for more budget.
TheRomanRuler on
We really should make sure that future for space wont become a monopoly for anyone. Especially not for private companies, but also not for any invidual country. It should be multinational from the start, even if some countries will have bigger presence.
Dafracturedbutwhole on
Earth = +70% water
Satellites and other planets = -0.7% water
China: 0.7% > 70%
MexaGoth on
But the gringos want to do the same thing and no one bata an eye…
Archduke_Of_Beer on
You wanna go toe to toe on Moon law bro, I’m ready any time!
alonlankri on
The Necrons are sleeping, do we really want to wake them?
dzernumbrd on
BS editorialised title that doesn’t match the article’s contents.
CitizenKing1001 on
The CCP doesn’t care about international law.
If they want it, they just do it.
18 Comments
Water is extremely heavy and thus expensive to transport. Thus it is vastly better to make locally, on the moon. Imagine sending water resupply mission every few weeks to a small base. A giant rocket with just water, nothing else. Falcon heavy can take… what, 20 something tons? That’s 20 something cubic meters of water. A single small swimming pool. For $90 million. And that’s the cheap option.
“We need laws now because we won’t be able to do it before them”
The article has nothing to do with moon law, or about mining for water on the moon. The article is about Chinese scientists looking at ways of synthesizing water with hydrogen and oxygen on the moon.
Also, if it were NASA doing it, I don’t think we’d hear alarmist concerns for a need for international law on the matter.
The space marines are gonna make the law on the moon
China wouldn’t listen to any laws if they exist, see south china sea, currency manipulation in wto, etc.
Serious question. If we go to the moon, use all the surface material (moon rocks) and science them to make water, does the moon change in weight? Would it impact the tides? Or if they made it water, drank it, peed it on the moon, it would all be the exact same?
I bet the moon will eventually be managed like the old west with people “staking a claim”, and claims only valid if the land is homesteaded or something similar.
Personnel override automated claims. That way no one can just land a 10km net and claim a whole mountain. You have to land people there to have your claim formally recognized by…. The UN?
I don’t really know, but I agree we need some kind of framework.
I don’t hear people saying the same for the mars exploration and colonization plan.
They’re not going to care about the law. Once they setup shop on the moon, if they’re the only ones there, they’ll try to claim it as theirs. And use some bullshit reasoning about it was always theirs.
This is China we’re taking about. Even if there are laws you think they’re going to abide by them? Look at what’s happening to the shoals in the south China Sea. The Chinese are effectively mobsters and crooks themselves
Besides, who’s going to enforce the law on the moon if there are laws? Martians?
I am afraid that the age of international cooperation is over, especially for situations where one country can gain an advantage. It’s even difficult for challenges that will be detrimental for everyone, such as global warming, completely impossible for potential moon mining where one country will have a head start.
This is a good opportunity for NASA to ask for more budget.
We really should make sure that future for space wont become a monopoly for anyone. Especially not for private companies, but also not for any invidual country. It should be multinational from the start, even if some countries will have bigger presence.
Earth = +70% water
Satellites and other planets = -0.7% water
China: 0.7% > 70%
But the gringos want to do the same thing and no one bata an eye…
You wanna go toe to toe on Moon law bro, I’m ready any time!
The Necrons are sleeping, do we really want to wake them?
BS editorialised title that doesn’t match the article’s contents.
The CCP doesn’t care about international law.
If they want it, they just do it.